CASE STUDY
SECTOR
National Mapping, Natural Resources and Environment
Source: European Space Agency - ESA
mapping-the-worlds-largest-volcanic-cave-a-3d-blueprint-for-future-space-missions
Source: European Space Agency - ESA
In 2017, researchers from the Virtual Geographic Agency Vigea conducted several field surveys on the island of Lanzarote, leveraging advanced geospatial technology, including 3D Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and Mobile Mapping solutions. Lanzarote, a Spanish island in the Atlantic belonging to the Canary archipelago, boasts the world’s largest volcanic cave and landscapes resembling those of the Moon. Due to these similarities, Lanzarote has become a training ground for astronauts preparing for space missions. The surveys focused on Lanzarote’s Corona lava tube, aiding teams from the European Space Agency in studying cave formations akin to those found on the Moon and Mars. This endeavour resulted in the creation of the first-ever 3D replica of the largest lava tube on Earth, marking a significant milestone in geospatial exploration and scientific research.
VIGEA
European Space Agency; Spanish Geological Service; Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville (CSIC); Leica Geosystems AG; Autodesk Inc.
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